The Irish standard., 1887-11-26

y
Ard he who lives beyond his income.
as q good many Of our acquaintances
do to my certain knowledge is poorer
STILL
Now, don't get to riding that hobby.
Mr., Payson. broke in my friends wife,
deprecatlngIy, ,don'tif you please, In
the first place. it's hardly polite, and in
the second place. it is by no means
agreeable. Don't mind him. and the
lady turning to me gayly--'he gets in
these moods sometimes
/ was notin the least surprised to hear
this after what had witnessed, both
in his store and in his house Put the
TWO scenes and circumstances together,
and how could it we'll be otherwise
/ My friend thus reacted upon, ven
tured no further remark upon a sub
ject that was SO disaereeable to his
family. But while they talked OF style
and fashion, he sat Silent. and, to my
mind, oppressed with no very pleasant
| thoughts. After the ladies had retired,
he said with considerable feeling;
| All this looks and sounds very we'll,
perhaps, bat there are two aspects to
almost everything My wife and
daughter, get one view OF life aud |
another. They see the romance and I
the hard reality. 1t is Impossible for
rne to get money as fast to they wish to
spend it. 1T was my fault in the be.
gining suppose. Ah! how difficult it
is to correct an error when once made.
l. tell them that am q poor man, but
they smile in my face. and ask me for
q hundred dollars to shop with in the
next breath. I renonstrate, but it
avails not, for they don't credit what I
say.
And [ am poor---poorer, I sometimes
think, than the humbles5 of my clerks,
who manages, out OF his salary of four
hundred year, to lay mp fifty dollars;
He is never in want OF q dollar, while I
so searching about, anxious and
troubled for my thousands daily. He
and his patient, cheerful, Industrious
| little wife find peace and c0ntentment
in the single room their limited means
enables them to procure, while my
family turn dissatisfied from the costly
adornnents Of our spacious home, and
sigh for richer furniture. and a larger
and more snowy mansion. If I were
millionaire, their ambition might be
satisfied. Nov. their ample wishes
may not be filled, must deny them
or meet inevitable ruin, AS it is, arn
living far beyond & prudent limit--lot
half SO tai, however, as many around
rna, whose fatal example IS ever tempt
ing the weak ambition Of their neigh,
bOrs.'
This, and much more OF similar inl-
port, was said by l'ayson. When [
turned from his elegant home there was
no envy in my heart. He was called
rich and prosperous man by all whom /
heard speak Of him. but in my eyes be
was very poor.
A. day OF two afterwards l saw
Wigbtman in the street. He was so
changed in appearance that / shonld
hardly have known him had he not first
spoken. f1e looked, III my eyes, twenty
years older than when last we met. His
clothes were poor, though scrupulously
clean, and On observing him more
closely perceived an air Of neatness
ana order that indicates nothing of
that disregard about external appear
ance which SO often accompanjes
poverty.
He grasped MY hand cordially, and
inquired with genuine interest after
nay health and welfare. I answered
briefly, and then said:
81 am SO sorry to hear that it is not
SO we'll with you in worldly matters as
when left the city,
A. slight shadow Gifted over his coun-
tenance, but it quickly grew cheerful
again.
Cone Of the secrets OF happiness in
this life" said he, sis contentment
with cur lot. We ra1ely learn this in
1t is not one OF the lessons
taught in that school,"
And you have learned it?' said I.
i have been trying to learn it, he
smiling. But find 1t one
of the most difficult OF lessons. / do
lot hope to acquire it perfectly
a cordial invitation to visit his
family and take tea with them fol-
owed, and was accepted. [ must own
hat prepared to go to the Wightmaps
With some misgivings as to the pleas
Ire I should receive, Almost every
me OF their old acqnaintancas 10 whom
had addressed inquiries on the SUN
ect, spoke of them with commissera-
ion as Every poor" If Wightman
could bear the change OF philosophy. I
,ardly expected to find the same Chris
ian resignation in his wife, whom l
as a gay, lively woman,
ond of social pleasures.
Such were my thoughts when